ISRAEL
JTA
August 7, 2013
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israeli Modern Orthodox leader Rabbi Mordechai “Motti” Elon was convicted of sexually assaulting a minor.
Elon, former rosh yeshiva of Yeshivat HaKotel in Jerusalem, was found guilty Wednesday in Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court of the incidents that occurred in 2003 and 2005 on students that had come to him for advice.
He was found guilty of two charges of indecent acts against a minor, but acquitted on to other sexual assault and sexual harassment charges. One of the complainants refused to testify against Elon in court.
Accusations of sexual misconduct against Elon were first investigated by a Modern Orthodox forum, Takana, which deals with complaints of sexual harassment in the religious school system. The forum in 2006 ordered that Elon no longer have contact with students. Shortly after, Elon left his teaching positions and moved from Jerusalem to the northern moshav Migdal, citing health reasons.
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